A Blend of In-Store & At-Home Strategies
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just as much of a holiday tradition as stuffing is with turkey on Thanksgiving Day. Last year, consumers spent a record $52.4 billion over the four-day weekend following Thanksgiving, up 16 percent from 2012, according to the National Retail Federation. Mobile spending is expected to increase this year as well, with comScore predicting that 56 percent of holiday shoppers will do their spending online. What can Charlestown residents expect for their holiday shopping experiences this year?
Online, Mobile Gain Traction
Stores adapt and advance just as quickly as our mobile technology does. As we depend on our mobile devices more and more, stores take advantage of that trend, pushing their products and sales through apps and websites, especially during the peak shopping days of the year. Walmart, for instance, has had its Black Friday page up for weeks.
If we aren't shopping online, we are researching products and prices online. The National Retail Federation predicts that 35.8 percent of smartphone owners will do online shopping research this year, another all-time high in e-commerce history.
Traditionally, shoppers impatiently waited for the doors of a store to open (and then all hell broke loose). Then shoppers started blending their strategy between waiting outside a store to shopping for what they want on a store's website. Today, apps are making holiday shopping a no-sweat ordeal. This is an advantage for both shopper and retail store, as apps can provide multiple and easier payment methods through secured sites.
In-Store Shopping Not Dead Yet
Some businesses are beginning to fight back against the Internet trend by enticing shoppers to enjoy traditional shopping. Businesses in the San Diego County area are giving shoppers a traditional shopping experience that online shopping just can't compete with. They are not just selling retail items, but an experience of food, fashion and entertainment, arguing that there's nothing like the real thing. Malls are downsizing in retail space and adding more leisure space, banks, outdoor movie theaters, stages for concerts, reading areas and other needed departments like pharmacies and dining areas. This not only keeps shoppers there longer, but gives them a more enjoyable day of shopping.
Enjoy Both Experiences
Whether you decide to go the traditional route or to enjoy the experience from the comfort of your own home—or both—keep in mind that retailers are giving you every chance to find the gifts you need, and you should take advantage of it. If you take on the traditional shopping strategy, plan to do it with family and friends. Not only does it make for a great social experience, but it's also a good shopping tactic—more eyes on the prize.
If you prefer to avoid the mad dashes and elbows to the rib cage, watch for great online offers like free shipping, vouchers for items that aren't in stock and online coupon sites that offer discounts on the items you want. In-store pickups are also a trend you'll see more of this year. This is an advantage for both shopper and retailer—shoppers save time and stress by shopping online, and they get the item quicker by picking it up rather than waiting for it to be shipped. Retailers benefit by enticing shoppers to come into the store when they pick up their item. As last year's data proves, the strategy is effective; comScore reports that as many as 43 percent of shoppers make an additional purchase when they pick up the item they bought online.
Your children (or your children's children) may never know the pushing, grabbing and hollering that sometimes accompanies in-store holiday shopping. By the time they have their own credit cards, they may only shop by clicking a mouse or tapping the screen on their mobile device. Until then—be safe out there.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just as much of a holiday tradition as stuffing is with turkey on Thanksgiving Day. Last year, consumers spent a record $52.4 billion over the four-day weekend following Thanksgiving, up 16 percent from 2012, according to the National Retail Federation. Mobile spending is expected to increase this year as well, with comScore predicting that 56 percent of holiday shoppers will do their spending online. What can Charlestown residents expect for their holiday shopping experiences this year?
Read on:
Online, Mobile Gain Traction
Stores adapt and advance just as quickly as our mobile technology does. As we depend on our mobile devices more and more, stores take advantage of that trend, pushing their products and sales through apps and websites, especially during the peak shopping days of the year. Walmart, for instance, has had its Black Friday page up for weeks.
If we aren't shopping online, we are researching products and prices online. The National Retail Federation predicts that 35.8 percent of smartphone owners will do online shopping research this year, another all-time high in e-commerce history.
Traditionally, shoppers impatiently waited for the doors of a store to open (and then all hell broke loose). Then shoppers started blending their strategy between waiting outside a store to shopping for what they want on a store's website. Today, apps are making holiday shopping a no-sweat ordeal. This is an advantage for both shopper and retail store, as apps can provide multiple and easier payment methods through secured sites.
In-Store Shopping Not Dead Yet
Some businesses are beginning to fight back against the Internet trend by enticing shoppers to enjoy traditional shopping. Businesses in the San Diego County area are giving shoppers a traditional shopping experience that online shopping just can't compete with. They are not just selling retail items, but an experience of food, fashion and entertainment, arguing that there's nothing like the real thing. Malls are downsizing in retail space and adding more leisure space, banks, outdoor movie theaters, stages for concerts, reading areas and other needed departments like pharmacies and dining areas. This not only keeps shoppers there longer, but gives them a more enjoyable day of shopping.
Enjoy Both Experiences
Whether you decide to go the traditional route or to enjoy the experience from the comfort of your own home—or both—keep in mind that retailers are giving you every chance to find the gifts you need, and you should take advantage of it. If you take on the traditional shopping strategy, plan to do it with family and friends. Not only does it make for a great social experience, but it's also a good shopping tactic—more eyes on the prize.
If you prefer to avoid the mad dashes and elbows to the rib cage, watch for great online offers like free shipping, vouchers for items that aren't in stock and online coupon sites that offer discounts on the items you want. In-store pickups are also a trend you'll see more of this year. This is an advantage for both shopper and retailer—shoppers save time and stress by shopping online, and they get the item quicker by picking it up rather than waiting for it to be shipped. Retailers benefit by enticing shoppers to come into the store when they pick up their item. As last year's data proves, the strategy is effective; comScore reports that as many as 43 percent of shoppers make an additional purchase when they pick up the item they bought online.
Your children (or your children's children) may never know the pushing, grabbing and hollering that sometimes accompanies in-store holiday shopping. By the time they have their own credit cards, they may only shop by clicking a mouse or tapping the screen on their mobile device. Until then—be safe out there.